Whistler Scanners and Windows 10

[DonS]

Dave:

Your first set of screen shots (post #47), where the scanner appears as "USB Serial Device (COM3)" in Device Manager, should have been sufficient. Once you get to that point, Windows has recognized the device and installed all necessary drivers. You shouldn't need to install the .INF file. You certainly shouldn't need to install any FTDI driver (since the WS1080/88 has nothing to do with any FTDI parts, software, or drivers).

The PC apps for the various Whistler scanners used to look for a specific device name - a name that was created when the .INF was installed. For the WS1080/88, that was "Whistler WS1080 Serial Device".

Upon realizing that Windows 10 automatically creates the COM port without the .INF (as perfectly illustrated by your screen shots in post #47), Whistler updated the PC apps in May 2016. The apps now look for a serial port where the hardware ID contains the vendor ID / product ID combination applicable to each particular scanner. For example, the WS1080/88 software looks for "VID_2A59&PID_000D". The software no longer requires the name that comes from the .INF file.

As Ed6698 said in post #44 above, the first thing to do is make sure you have the latest version of the PC app.

Last night (11 July 2016), I did some testing here on three Windows 10 machines - none of which have ever had any scanner connected to them or any GRE/Whistler software installed on them.

For example, one of the tests was a WS1088 connected to my kid's Surface 3 (Windows 10 Home, 64-bit):

1. Log into Windows as my kid (standard user; no adminstrator privileges)
2. Make sure scanner is turned off
3. Connect WS1088 to Surface 3's USB port - scanner comes up with its clock display
4. Scanner appears in Windows as a removable drive; Explorer opens and shows the card contents
5. Open Device Manager and expand "Ports (COM & LPT)" (Windows tells me I can view but not make changes, since I'm a standard user)
6. Scanner appears as "USB Serial Device (COM3)" - just like your screen shots
7. Run PC app installer from the removable drive (I made sure I had an old version of the installer on the card; it was file version 1.9.5.305 from a very old card image - as of this writing, it's identical to the Whistler-EZScan.exe file on the Whistler web site).
8. Windows UAC prompts me to enter my admin password to run the installer
9. Proceed with install, accepting all defaults. When install is done, leave the "Run the app" box checked and click the Finish button
10. App launches... set Bandplan to United States
11. App asks me if I want to check for updates. I do so.
12. PC app (2.11 Build 441) is available. Current CPU and DSP firmware are reported as "1.0" - since this version of the app can't see the scanner.
13. Uncheck everything except the PC app
14. Download and install new PC app (entering my admin password again and accepting all defaults)
15. Launch PC app
16. Updates -> Check for All Updates. The checks all succeed, and I have the latest versions of everything except the DSP firmware and the Library Database
17. Download the DSP firmware and library update and copy them to scanner - success
18. Try to set the scanner's clock - success
19. Copy config from scanner to PC - success
20. Copy config from PC to scanner - success
21. Updates -> Check for CPU Firmware Update. App tells me I have the latest version, but I update anyway - success

I never installed the .INF. Neither Windows nor the two PC app installers ever prompted me about them. The scanner still appears as "USB Serial Device (COM3)" in Device Manager.

The same sequence was performed on two other "virgin" Windows 10 (Pro, 64-bit) machines with the same results (apart from copying the library files to the scanner - I didn't want to wait for that two more times). On one of those two PCs, I was logged in as an administrator and didn't get the UAC prompts.

 

[DaveIN]

Well thanks for the investigation Don, however it did not work as you described with my "virgin" Windows Surface Pro, nor my Dell Pro 11. If, as you say, the INF file is not needed, then there must be a problem with the default Windows driver. I am able to see the device as a serial device (com 15) and the logical drive (mini SD) is displayed when the uSD interface is enabled, but without the INF file I see no interface with the CPU firmware update. However, I am able to set the time when the uSD interface is available. Occasionally Windows will not see the connection at all. I've attempted different cables and COM assignments with little difference.

Using the methods I described, I was able to get full communication upon firmware update loads AND see the registered device as Ws1080. The only difference being that the INF file is not signed and needed to be installed in Windows troubleshooting mode.

 

[DonS]

However, I am able to set the time when the uSD interface is available. Occasionally Windows will not see the connection at all. I've attempted different cables and COM assignments with little difference.

Using the methods I described, I was able to get full communication upon firmware update loads AND see the registered device as Ws1080. The only difference being that the INF file is not signed and needed to be installed in Windows troubleshooting mode.

If you can set the time, the PC app "sees" the scanner's serial port. It should then be able to get the scanner's firmware version and perform an update.

While I understand that you were not able to update firmware until you installed the .INF, there's no way* the .INF could have had any effect. Once the PC app (May 2016 version and later) sees the serial port, it sees the serial port - and it can do anything that requires the serial port (set time, check for and perform CPU firmware updates).

*I suppose it's possible that versions of the PC app prior to 2.9 build 411 (from 11 July 2016) had a bug where they'd use the "new" serial port discovery method for setting the time but the "old" method for performing firmware updates. However, that has not been my experience. As you might imagine, I've used every version of the PC app that has ever made it to "alpha" level release or further. On my Windows 10 development machine, I do not have the .INF installed.

 

[DaveIN]

Well aware of that Don. However the method I used was what worked. Thanks for your insight on the problem. For use end users that experience the problem it's very frustrating trying to get the interface to work. If the result is to work with a legacy version of Windows, then it's not a solution.

 

[SCPD]

Note!

I used the program off the Whistler website and it didnt see the scanner,I had to remove the updated program amd install the setup.exe from the SD card,then it worked.Kinda weird......But it works.

 

[greggk]

I am in the process of sending my second Whistler TRX-2 back. I really wanted it to work. The hours of trying, re-trying, having partial success at times, and no success at all it just went on and on and on.

I am no novice at this.

For $600.00, I could understand if there was one thing that had to be downloaded, or one minor correction to make to the software; but spending hours and turning into days was absolutely ridiculous. AggieCon...you were right all along.

For $600.00, the damn thing should be making me coffee in the morning. Both are going back and a new Uniden 536 is on the way.

FWIW..IMHO....but I am angry at Whistler. I really wanted this to work, but even tech support had no answers. This was a colossal amount of money and wasted time. The second Whistler going back causes me to pay a 15% restocking fee. Just a great deal of expense and disappointment.

I own a RS Pro 106; even that was easier to figure out and get to work properly.

I am done with Whistler. I need a cigarette!

 

[JD21960]

Yes. Wendy posted a reminder at 8:46PM Wednesday. New updates and UK Band plan fixes. Wednesday Aug 17th 2016

 

[mikewazowski]

I've locked this for now until I can take time to weed out the crap.